Bowdens Silver

As attached

I am opposed to this development due to significant environmental, social and cultural impacts that are listed in the attached document.

Please see attached letter below.
Kind Regards
Sarah Onus

This is a continuation of submission 8536915.
As Chairman of the Board of Silver Mines Ltd, the parent company, and as a farmer, I am very proud of the way in which Bowdens Silver has engaged with the community, and especially our neighboring farmers. There is an incredibly strong culture of being a part of the community and treating the community with the upmost respect and a goal to see our community stronger and more resilient despite the challenges of drought impacts, Covid 19 and underlying unemployment issues throughout parts of this region. We certainly see ourselves playing a strong part of that ongoing resilience by providing employment for local people, (we will not be a business for FIFO workers) and business activity for many local businesses. We can do this whilst maintaining the highest standards of environmental stewardship and ensuring the well being of our neighbors.
Hopefully we can see a start to this major development for the benefit of this region sooner rather than later.

The proposed lead mine is located close to a public school. The effects of lead poisoning is well documented especially in Mount Isa and Broken Hill.
The project will pollute underground water, there are magnificent underground springs in the area and these will all be polluted by the lead.
The project should not be approved.

I am a Sydney resident who regularly visits the Mudgee area.
I am writing to let you know I oppose the development of the Bowdens Silver Mine in Lue.
The project is too risky for the health of the local people due to the lead that would be extracted with the silver. Lue residents would also have to endure 7 days a week of noise just 2 kms away from their home. Even residents of the Hunter Valley don't have to endure so many days of activities.
Mudgee still has water restrictions, so why would anyone allow a mine to use the equivalent of an Olympic swimming pool a day for the extraction of minerals and even pinch the water from the Goulburn river that belongs to other constituents? It would be an environmental tragedy and such a blow to the community as well as to regular visitors such as myself if government were to sanction the corporate theft and desecration of vital natural resources.
The mine would also destroy a rich biodiversity and ruin one of the prettiest valleys in the shire.
Mudgee, a popular tourist town, should not accept that B-doubles would cross the town to transport their extractions from Lue. Why would such a beautiful town suffer this fate?
I urge you to reject outright this project.

Please refer to the attached submission.

I object to this project for the following reasons -
it will mean an increase in environmental pollution, most notably and dangerously lead pollution
it seems as whilst Bowdens Silver have done their best to ensure their impact on the environment is minimal their best is not good enough, and too influenced by their expectations of what financial profit they can make and not a concern for the community impacted
It will mean an increase in noise pollution
it will mean an increase in water pollution
it will impact on the community's health
it is too close to a school

I'm writing to express my concern and objection to the Bowden's Silver Mine proposal.

I think it is vital that the following points be reconsidered:
1. The potential of ruining the landscape that can not be replaced.
2. Water issues for Mudgee and locally.
3. The lack of research on pollutants that will be left behind on the site.
4. Road maintenance due to increased traffic and big trucks.
5.Road safety due to increased traffic on the Lue Road.
6. Issues for farming / agriculture production. My family have lived in the Rylstone area for generations and we all believe this mine would not be beneficial in the long term to the local area.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Jennifer Kerr
5.

We are residents on Lue Road.
We own a small organic vineyard which runs from the Lue Road to the south down to Lawsons Creek at the north of our property.
We are objecting to the project for various reasons.
- WATER, WATER, WATER. Having suffered through the drought with Lawson Creek running dry for over a year the extra strain on resources is a major concern. We already don't have enough water in our suburb and extra usage will only make the situation worse. All farmers and resident rely on water for their livelihood and taking this away is wrong.
- CONTAMINATION - The waste flowing in to Lawsons Creek is of particular worry. There is lead in the ground and any lead throws up considerable health concerns.
- TRAFFIC - Lue Road is not designed to carry heavy traffic, neither in terms of volume of traffic nor weight of loads. It is a country road with residential properties lining the route. Extra volume and weight and noise and danger are all considerations that have not been taken in to account. We live near the intersection of Rocky Waterhole Road and already we often have the sound of screeching breaks as it is a blind corner turning right from Rocky Waterhole Road on to Lue Road. The road is just not suitable for the proposed use and exceptionally narrow is some places so very dangerous for large vehicles.

am a member of the Rylstone community, having just bought property on the local airfield. My preference is that the application be rejected on the grounds that there is not enough detail provided in the methods, accountability and liability that the company has in ensuring that the mine is rehabilitated. Currently there are some 50,000 mines across Australia that state governments have allowed companies to leave behind, too costly for communities and governments to clean up and rehabilitate. This rapacious behaviour on the part of mining companies costs our environment dearly, and the costs need not be so high if governments could only be supported by sensible and enforceable laws to bring these companies to heel. I support an economy built on sustainability and I recognize that silver is a metal that is needed in the transition to renewables, but the cost to our communities of Mudgee, Lue and Rylstone and others will be too high of this mine is allowed to go ahead.
However, should it be approved, I would like to see a legally binding agreement that Bowdens “planned and staged rehabilitation” is carried out according to community satisfaction, especially in regards to the safe removal of toxins from the site and its total rehabilitation to how it was, or better. I would like to have access to the levels of rehabilitation that are reported in the Annual Report of Bowdens and I would like to see Bowdens pay a bond held by the appropriate government agency, the Department of Planning presumably, which would be adequate against any environmental liabilities which Bowdens creates.
This would go a long way towards fostering a greater sense of trust between the community and the Department of Planning and Bowdens.

I am a long time visitor to the Lue area , with a keen interest in ornithology and native animals . I have grave concerns for the strong Koala population less than 2 km from the mine site.

See attached submission documents.

Please see supporting letter

Objection to Bowdens Silver Project

My name is Roberta Jill Friend, and I object to the Bowdens Silver Project due to the environmental impacts this project will have to Lue, NSW and the greater Mudgee region. After extensive review of Bowdens Silver Project environmental impact statement, I believe this project will be hugely detrimental to my community. For the purpose of this submission, however, I will address my concerns of mining and transporting lead and the negative impacts this may have on the health of Lue residents.

I have been qualified as registered nurse for the past 8 years. During this time, I have worked within many health care sectors and have extensive knowledge of pathophysiological process of injury and disease. I am concerned of the health impacts on the Lue and Mudgee residents from accidental and inadvertent exposure to lead – a known carcinogenic which is capable of inducing tumour formation (Nowak & Handford, 2014, p.160). Khalid & Abdollahi (2019, p. 235) state that lead exposure during different stages of development has demonstrated dose, duration, sex and tissue-specific pathophysiological outcomes due to altered epigenetic regulation. Furthermore, lead-induced alteraltion of epigenetic regulation causes neurotoxic and extra-neurotoxic pathophysiological outcomes; such as dysfunction of memory and learning, behavioural disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, aging, alzhemier’s disease, neurodegeneration, altered body weight, metabolic disorder, cardiovascular disorders, hematopoietic disorder and reproductive impairment (Khalid & Abdollahi, 2019, p. 235). Bowdens Silver Project, is attempting to mine and transport this chemical element 2 kilometres from a primary school and residential community. Exposure to which is known to cause either early in life or at any stage of development negative pathophysiological outcomes for the duration of human life. It seems clear that minimising the introduction of lead into the environment – by rejecting this project – will reduce future health issues on Lue residents. A potential burden to the health care sector for years longer than any benefits this mine might have the economically.

We simply cannot let this project proceed. The cost is too great to our families and community.

Regards
Roberta Jill Friend
Registered Nurse

References
Khalid, M. & Abdollahi, M. 2019. Epigenetic modifications associated with pathophysiological effects of lead exposure, Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part C, 37:4, 235-287, DOI: 10.1080/10590501.2019.1640581

Nowak, T & Handford, A. 2014. Pathophysiology: concepts and applications for health care professionals. McGraw Hill.

As seen in my letter i object to the mine

Location - the proposed mine is situated less than 2 km from the village of Lue, including public school, residential housing and tourist accommodation, in addition to significant agricultural holdings.
Noise - blasting and trucking in a small area close to amenities as above.
Lead dust levels with lead toxicity which is unacceptable, and clearly outlined in EIS.
Unacceptable tailings dam - which has been acknowledged as highly toxic to all wildlife, further affecting the already impacted delicate ecosystem of native birds and animals - recently impacted by Jan 2020 bush-fire activity.
With relatively short lifespan of 17 years for this project - the risks and long term affects on local residents, wildlife and environment are unacceptable.
Traffic - trucking and vehicle movements on narrow, windy rural roads with locals travelling for work, school buses for children and agricultural requirements.
The project developers clearly identify with the risks of living locally - as they make decisions for communities they do not live in. How does a man residing in Double Bay have the authority to tell those living locally at Lue that things will be fine and the mine a great asset? I don't see him moving his wife and children to Lue to inhale lead dust and be kept awake all night with mining noise?
Water - removal of water from local creek system provides unacceptable risk to agriculture and the long term production and value of the land. Contamination of remaining water - eg flooding times, - as lead and contaminates are flushed into the drinking and household water storage for Mudgee and surrounds.
Under no circumstances is this a project worthy of benefit vs risk.

My name is Bruce Christie and I have lived in the Lue area for the last 40 years. We have a family property that is within the current lease of Bowden’s Mine and live approximately 8kms from the mine. With my family we manage a grazing property and have concerns on the construction of the mine so close to ourselves, the Lue area (population 800), Mudgee township (population 11,000) and for the surrounding rural businesses. We run a grazing property and use regenerative grazing methods that build soil, protect groundcover and concentrate on the health of our environment. This proposed mine with not only threaten the health of our property and family but also our future marketing opportunities for our business affecting our economic health.
My main concerns are:
Water and dust – A major concern I see for the mine is the lack of available water for the mine to suppress dust. The water supply outlined in the EIS is a mix of pipeline and harvesting water out of the Lawson Creek valley.
2050 megalitres per year is essential for this mine function due the proximity to the Lue village and the critical need for dust suppression. A high level of toxic waste product particularly lead dust will be created. There is no safe level of lead for communities, and the EIS use outdated guidelines. Buffer zones from mining activities are necessary to protect the public (The Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee Report on ‘Impacts of health of air quality in Australia’ 2013). Given that the proposed mine pit is only 2 kilometres from Lue, there is no opportunity for a sufficient buffer zone to prevent lead dust reaching the village through single or multiple dispersion events.
The EIS outlines the ground water drawdown that will occur with the creation of the pit. It shows that the drawdown within the Lawson’s Creek flow line with be at least 1 metre. Being familiar with the Lawson Creek over the last 40 years I know that this will interrupt the flow of the creek further downstream ensuring that downstream landholders will have reduced surface flow from the creek. This will severely affect the hydrology of the Lawson Creek and threaten the community below the site who rely on this water for themselves and livestock. This will occur for not only the life of the mine but for at least 100 years while the drawdown continues into the mining pit. The decision for this mine to go forward would be a decision that generations would be affected by and regret into the future.
The development of the pipeline from the Ulan mine does not secure a reliable source of water for the mine. The excess water from Ulan Coal mine is legislated to maintain flows to the eastern flowing Goulburn River. Redirecting it to the western system creates issues of secure supply and the reduction of flow to the Goulburn River system. It will also increase the footprint of the mine with the required clearing and disturbance that would be required to bring a water pipeline through 75km of farmland and native vegetation.
Leaving the mine void in place at the conclusion of the mine operations after 16.5 years will create a toxic pond for millennia. I’m sure wildlife will not understand the toxic nature of the water and will attempt to use it as habitat. With the toxic level of the sump this will further endanger critically endangered populations creating a genetic sink from which endangered populations will not recover.
Loss of Biodiversity – The EIS is deficient in accessing the risk to critical species, such as the Swift Parrot, Koala and aquatic species. It is inadequate for accessing threatened species habitat such as tree hollow distribution and the type of existing hollows. Bowdens mine will clear nearly 150ha of Box Gum Grassy Woodland that currently provides habitat for many endangered species listed under NSW and Federal environmental legislation. The mine with destroy this endangered plant community affecting species such as Koala that have been sighted at the mine site and adjacent area. Clearing this site will reduce the connectivity across the Lawson Creek valley interrupting genetic dispersal of this iconic species.
By the mine relies on some onsite biodiversity offsets to attempt to mitigate the effects of clearing. These offsets will not be effective with the amount of movement, noise and general disturbance as an offset site but will lead to a net loss of biodiversity in the valley. Recent climatic events such as the fires has emphasised that we need large areas of refuse for wildlife in the face of catastrophic events. This mine will lead the district lacking in that respect.
Light pollution – Our property will be affected by the 24-hour operation of the mine having an effect on our lifestyle and environment due to skyglow.
Light pollution is known to have an effect on the native wildlife disturbing migratory species, and upsetting the adjacent area with 24 hour light affecting night foraging species such as the endangered Squirrel Glider and Barking Owl which have been identified within the area and would be affected by this light pollution.
I would suggest that making the operation 12 hours a day would reduce the amount of lighting that it would need and that any light be directed to the ground rather than broad dispersal.
Tailings Dam and Waste Rock Emplacement – the design of the tailings dam does not hold up to scrutiny with a complicated design that will struggle to be effective in the long term. The design relies on a thin membrane of plastic to keep it from leaking. During the construction of the dam it could well puncture that will create breaches in the seal that will not be able to be corrected. The free board on the dam wall is only 2.7m. The wall will slump and erode with time and allow for overflow in large rain events. This tailings dam is a time bomb that will release acid into the water table and creeks that will require the community and government to rehabilitate long after the mining operations have finished.
The seal on top of the waste rock emplacement (WRE) requires that trees cannot be grown on the surface as it could create breaches in the multiple layers. How will they stop trees recruiting on the surface of the WRE for the next several hundred years? As the rock is acid forming it must stay dry to reduce this process from occurring.
It is unlikely that there will be along term maintenance program so the people of Lue will be left to deal with the results, while the future tax payers of NSW will be funding rehabilitation into perpetuity.
Traffic – This mine will create an increase in the amount of traffic on the Lue Road creating a dangerous situation for the Lue and Rylstone community with many people commuting to Mudgee for work, or to shop, myself included.
The increase in traffic outlined in the EIS with 20 trucks creating a dangerous situation with very low opportunity for other commuters to overtake trucks if required. An increase of traffic of this kind is unsuitable for a town that heavily relies on tourism.
Loss of value for rural properties – You may be aware that the Lue community has been under the shadow of this potential mine for over 30 years and the ‘never-ending’ threat of the mine continues to undermine confidence in the viability of the district and its social structure. Real estate is exceedingly slow to move, prices are depressed and there is uncertainty about whether or not to make capital improvements to buildings and rural properties. When the value will not be realised and with low sale values the reduction of the benefits of living in Lue are reduced.
Conclusion
If the Bowden’s Mine goes ahead we will lose the Lue Village. It will go the same way as Ulan, Wollar and Bylong. No one will want to live near a toxic mine operating for 24 hours, creating dust and noise.
Even when we lose the Lue Village the rural landholders will be left to run their agricultural business with surface and ground water either reduced or toxic to livestock and themselves.
The small amount of jobs that this mine will create for the 16.5 years of operation is dwarfed by having dynamic and successful rural businesses in the area for hundreds of years.
I oppose the mine for myself, my children and the future generations in the Lue district.